Take Responsibility

There’s a lot on tonight’s game for us and for our own reasons we want to continue to be successful"

Kenny Jackett

Kenny Jackett has urged his players to take responsibility for their own performance against Crawley tonight (7.45pm) and build on the encouraging start to the new campaign.

Crawley will arrive hoping to upset the momentum created by Wolves in their first three games as Molineux hosts its first evening fixture of the season being shown live by Sky.

Jackett expects a challenge from a Crawley side who like to pass the ball, but is focused on a positive result providing Wolves can continue their early season form.

“It is an opportunity (to go top) and it will be great to play under the lights and in front of the cameras,” said Jackett.
“We have to take the responsibility for our performance.

“If we can put a good performance on, an attacking one, then our fans, we think, will follow and back us and generate the type of atmosphere that any side would want at home.
“We’re big on our home form and we want it to be a real big successful part of good campaign.

“The crowd for the first game against Gillingham got behind us, high in numbers, which is good to see.

“We have to put the performances on which earns those people coming back to see us – having set some standards we have to work hard now to keep those up.
“We want to be successful this year and we want to play well every game. We also want to entertain and show our fans that they can have something to be proud of - a team in a Wolves shirt that they can follow and get behind.

“There’s a lot on tonight’s game for us and for our own reasons we want to continue to be successful.

“We want to play winning football but obviously we want to play attractive, attacking football as every team would at home in front of our own supporters.”

Crawley meanwhile will be looking to make use of Wolves’ excellent playing surface, with Jackett mindful of their ability to play good football.

“Crawley have done fantastic as a club and over the last few years have established themselves in League One, which for a club that has been traditionally in non-league they have done very well and made great strides,” he said.

“They’re a very good footballing team if you sit off them.

“They can pass, they can play and they can move the ball.

“We have to make sure we know of their threats and then after that concentrate on our own game.

“We have set some good standards of football over the last couple of games and we have to now, at home, live up to those.
“It is a big game for them and we’ll give them every respect - which we do to very opposition. Then after that it is about ourselves.”
Jackett meanwhile has also explained the decision to send Wayne Hennessey on a month’s loan with Yeovil in order to get some match experience under his belt after over a year out with injuries.

Carl Ikeme started the season as first choice and has only conceded once from open play in the first four games of the campaign.

“He’s been out injured for some 18 months and hasn’t played any first team football in that time.
“He has had a good pre-season in terms of his fitness. His knee has been okay. His rehabilitation has been excellent.
“So this suits all parties to go to Yeovil and get some Championship football.
“We think in the long run it will be of benefit to the club. In the long term we do think that (it will be a benefit for him to be playing for Wolves) but we’re fortunate we have Carl Ikeme and Aaron McCarey who are very capable goalkeepers.
“Some three weeks ago when I made the first decision to pick a number one I very closely went for Carl. I wanted to settle the side down as much as I can as well, and the back four and the keeper you don’t want to be changing too much, if you can help it.
“Particularly after a period where I have made a lot of changes to last season’s team through the summer - and quite rightly I didn’t want to be chopping and changing.
“It is settled with Carl - playing well and not giving away too many goals at all in the few games that we’ve played. With Wayne going out on loan it is a good situation for us.
“Wages is always a consideration but it was mainly a football decision because of his injuries.”